Mothers Instinct
by Sharon Doyle
Summary: Tess fosters Hayley.


Title: Mother's Instinct  
  
By: Sharon Doyle  
  
Started: October 3rd 2001  
  
Finished: October 3rd 2001  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine!  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Genre: Family  
  
Summary: A new Tess emerges after she fosters Hayley.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Tess can we go shopping tonight," asked Hayley.  
  
Tess looked up as Hayley walked into the station. The other heelers greeted the girl with a smile or a hello. They had grown used to having her around in the few weeks since Tess had fostered her.  
  
"Umm I'm working till five," answered Tess.  
  
"Tess, it's Thursday."  
  
"Ahh well in that case, lets do it, a bit of late night retail therapy will do us good," smiled Tess. "Okay now off to school with you. Did you get your lunch from the fridge?"  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
"And are you coming straight home after school?"  
  
"Yes Tess," answered Hayley.  
  
"Right well pop in and let me know when you're home."  
  
"Okay Tess I will," they hugged goodbye Tess planting a soft kiss on Hayley's head.  
  
As Hayley left the station the other heelers all laughed.  
  
"What?" Tess asked bemused.  
  
"Oh c'mon Tess, this isn't you. The real Tess is hiding in there somewhere," laughed Ben.  
  
"Ben, she's a great kid, having her around is completely different to what I imagined. She brings so much to my life. The house is a mess, my life is in complete disarray but guess what I don't give a damn."  
  
"Be careful Tessy," warned PJ, " you don't want to get to close to her."  
  
"Too late for that I reckon," laughed Evan. He was as surprised as anyone to see this new side to Tess. He didn't quite know how to take his reaction to it. It was actually kind of sexy to see a woman he was attracted to in nurturing mode. My God, what on earth did that mean. He wasn't ready to settle down and have a family; at least he didn't think he was.  
  
"I know that one day she will go back to Tina," Tess admitted, referring to Hayley's natural mother who was in jail, "but for now she's mine and I will do anything I can to make her life a happy one."  
  
"Yeah but Tess what about your life?" asked Jo. "I mean I know you weren't a party animal or anything but you must miss those nights out. You know, stimulating adult conversation"  
  
"Nope not really, I see enough of you guys here. It's kinda nice to go home, chill out and see the world from Hayley's perspective. Almost like reliving my childhood, the way it should have been."  
  
Tess stared off into the distance. Life as a kid had been tough. Hayley's childhood was her own. Always having to try so hard to do the right thing and never quite managing to please them. It had been like walking on eggshells. Her friends' families had never been like her own. She had avoided taking friends home, never knowing what would await her.  
  
How many times had she arrived home to find her mum passed out in a drunken haze? Or the times when she'd come home and find her mum and her latest man going for it on the sofa. If she could spare Hayley just a little of that then she damn well would.  
  
"Well good for you Tess, I reckon anyone who takes on someone else's problems needs a medal."  
  
"She's no problem Jo. Come shopping with us tonight, you'll soon see what a fantastic kid she is."  
  
"I can't Tess, softball training tonight," answered Jo.  
  
"Yeah, Yeah sure," laughed PJ.  
  
"Nah, it's true," Jo frowned at PJ.  
  
"Next thing you know, you'll be showing us the happy family snaps Tess," said Ben jokingly.  
  
"Well, it just so happens." the other heelers groaned as Tess reached into her draw. "Oh. okay," she closed the draw again.  
  
"Tess, don't be silly, we'd love to see them," said Evan walking over and sitting on the edge of Tess' desk as the other heelers were taken up when the phone started ringing and people came to the front counter.  
  
"That's Hayley on her first night with me, that's when we went down to Melbourne last weekend, she loved it. Actually we both did," Tess pointed to each photo on turn.  
  
"You're really enjoying this aren't you?" Evan asked.  
  
"Yeah I am," Tess answered. "It's corny I know, but Hayley has filled a void in my life. She's like a breath of fresh air; you'd like her a lot. Hey, why don't you come tonight, it would be good for Hayley to have some male influence around?"  
  
"Yeah okay, sounds good. Shopping, hmmm girly stuff no doubt but how about we get some food afterwards?  
  
"Hayley'll be in that," laughed Tess, "she's eating me out of house and home."  
  
"K well you girls have a date then. Better get back to work or that ogre of a sergeant will come back to give me grief."  
  
"Get out of here," Tess gave Evan a mock punch on the arm.  
  
"Seriously Tess, you've changed since Hayley came along. I reckon it's great what you're doing for that kid."  
  
Tess smiled, little did Evan know that she wasn't only doing it for Hayley she was doing it for herself too. What the future held and how long she would have her for she didn't know. What she did know was that for the first time in her life she was genuinely happy being Tess Gallagher and not just Sergeant Gallagher. 


End file.
